Don't Say I Never Did Anything For You
by inu382
Summary: As the Ceremonial Battle draws to an end, Yuugi realizes that he isn't willing to let go of Atem- "You narcissistic, parasitic, selfish asshole! GIVE ME BACK MY DECK!" Yugi screeched, stomping on the ground for good measure. AtemYuugi, SetoJou, others.
1. Chapter 1

Basically, everything is cannon(ish) until the end of the dialogue (which I'm taking from the subbed version).

* * *

Tears filled Yuugi's eyes as the Silent Magician completed her attack and rid Atem of the former Pharaoh's remaining life points. Falling to his knees, Yuugi's entire being rebelled against the idea of losing his best friend, his confidante…

And the person he loved most.

Yuugi barely registered Atem as he crouched before Yuugi, and startled at the comforting hand that landed on his shoulder.

"Stand up," the Pharaoh commanded, "The winner shouldn't be on his knees. If I were you, I wouldn't cry."

Yuugi tried to swallow his sobs. "I-I'm too weak…You've always been my goal! I always wanted to be strong…like you."

A gentle smile crossed Atem's face as his fingers tightened on Yuugi's shoulder. "You're not weak. You've _always_ had a power that no one else could beat…The strength of kindness! That's what I learned from you.

"_Aibou…_" Atem put both hands on Yuugi's shoulders, encouraging the shorter boy to stand with him, "The courage you showed me when you accepted this Battle Ceremony showed me the path that I must take."

"Other me…" Yuugi muttered.

"I'm not the 'other you' anymore," Atem replied. "And you are no one but yourself! You're the _only_ Mutou Yuugi in the world!"

Though tears were still in the corners of his eyes, Yuugi valiantly put on a brave face and nodded. Suddenly, the eye of Wadjet lit up brilliantly, and Yuugi knew it was time to say goodbye.

"You're not the 'other me' anymore…" Yuugi whispered to himself. As Atem faced the doorway, Yuugi suddenly reached forward, grasping desperately at the Pharaoh's wrist.

"If you're not the 'other me' anymore…you're Atem! And you're the only Atem in the world!"

Atem smiled kindly, his hand coming to rest upon Yuugi's with an encouraging squeeze.

"And that means you're your own person and that I can say that…that I love you," Yuugi's hand tightened, silently begging for the Pharaoh to understand. Atem's eyes widened in shock, before a happy expression settled on his face.

"Yuugi…" Atem drew the shorter boy close, hugging him tightly. "Can I assume this means you want me to stay?"

Yuugi nodded frantically. "Please don't go."

Isis' eyes were sad as she replied for the Pharaoh. "The spirits of the dead are not meant to linger among the living. The Pharaoh must pass on, Yuugi."

"There _are_ loopholes, though," Atem said, shrewdly. "If I were to pass on and then come back, _technically_, I'd have been to the afterlife as I was supposed to and then I would come back with a blank slate."

Isis' eyebrow twitched. "I…I suppose that is true, Pharaoh, but there is no time to discuss that now and I do not believe we could find such a way."

"I dunno," Jou grinned. "I could go for another adventure that includes life or death situations. Otherwise, I'd be bored outta my mind."

Seto rolled his eyes. "Great. Just when I thought I'd be rid of you people…"

The entire cavern rumbled and small pebbles fell from the ceiling. Marik looked around, panicky, as he felt the universe become restless with their stalling. "Guys, we're messing with things we don't have any chance of understanding. We'll all miss you, Pharaoh, but could you kindly _die_ already?"

"Man, I live half my life without fully understanding anything," Jou snorted, "I say we stall as long as we need to."

Yuugi pulled away from Atem and looked up into crimson eyes. "Atem…do _you_ want to stay? With me?"

"Is that okay with Jii-chan?" Atem joked.

Said grandfather rolled his eyes. "Like I have a choice. You know how Yuugi gets when he wants something."

A mischievous light entered Atem's eyes. "Yes…Yes, I _do_ know how Yuugi gets."

The cavern gave another great rumble, the occupants having to throw themselves to the side to avoid being crushed by falling debris.

"Not that this isn't super sweet and all," Mokuba complained, covering his head, "But can we _please_ decide on what we're doing and _get the hell out_?!"

"Atem!" Yuugi cried, desperately.

The kindess returned to the Pharaoh's countenance, and his hands settled on Yuugi's cheeks. "Yuugi…I have to go. Our purpose as two souls in one body is done; the millennium items will only be sealed if my soul goes to the afterlife. I have to go through that doorway."

Tears rolled down Yuugi's face as he buried himself in Atem's chest.

"You're strong enough now, Yuugi," Atem whispered, hugging the other close, "You've always been strong enough. You don't need to follow me anymore. You should…no, you _will_ follow your own path."

As Yuugi sobbed, he paid no attention to the falling rocks, the screams of his friends…

Or the stealthy hand that slipped into his deck holster.

"But, we _will_ meet again, Yuugi," Atem said with conviction, causing Yuugi to pull away and stare up at Atem.

"We…we will?" he asked hopefully.

"We'd better," Atem smirked, that mischievous expression back on his face in full force, "Or you'll never get your deck back."

Yuugi pulled away completely, surprised. "What're you…?"

A wicked grin pulled across Atem's face as he waved the aforementioned cards in his hand.

"How did you—!" Yuugi cried, looking into his holster for his cards—true to Atem's word, the Pharaoh had somehow snuck out his entire deck, side deck included.

Atem jogged towards the light in the doorway, a smile on his face. "Yuugi! If you want your cards back—if you want _me_ back—figure out a way! I'll be waiting for you!"

The leather pants and jacket turned in a mauve cape and a white tunic and the son of Aknamkanon returned to proper death, leaving a gaping Mutou Yuugi behind. The door shut before the young duelist could react; before his wits were gathered, the group dragged him away as the cavern collapsed entirely.

The millennium items were sealed forever; Isis and Marik were free to live their lives and no longer had to serve the Pharaoh; the adventure was over and the world was safe.

"I'd call that a win," Otogi shrugged.

"_He took my freaking deck!_" Yuugi raged, stomping around and kicking up sand, "_And_ he expects me to figure out a way to bring him _back to life so he can return the cards he stole!_"

Anzu smiled uncertainly, "Well…even when he's gone, other Yuugi sure knows how to keep things lively."

"Atem," Jou corrected. "And we'd better figure out how to get him back soon, before Yuugi has a coronary."

Honda sighed. "Just when I thought we'd be normal high schoolers again…"

Jou looked at Seto expectantly. Annoyed, the brunet huffed.

"_What,_ Jou?"

"I hope you don't think you're staying out of this, Kaiba."

"Are we expected to help, too?" Marik asked, somewhat resigned.

"Of course!" Anzu replied. "We're all helping! There's no way Yuugi's giving up, and we shouldn't either. Atem gave up his soul so that the world would be safe—he's lived nothing but an unselfish life. All he wants to is to be cute with Yuugi and we're gonna make sure it happens!"

"If Yuugi doesn't kill him first." Rishid said, deadpan.

"Yuugi doesn't have the heart," Sugoroku laughed confidently.

"Atem! Come back to life _this instant_ and give me back my deck, you narcissistic, parasitic, selfish asshole! GIVE ME BACK MY DECK!" Yuugi screeched to the ground, stomping on it for good measure.

* * *

Atem walked toward his former council and friends, smiling at them as he approached. On his chest, he felt the familiar and comforting weight of the millennium puzzle.

"It has been too long, my friend," Mahado declared as he stepped forward, hugging the Pharaoh.

"It has," Atem agreed, and similarly greeted the others. "But I'm afraid I won't be here long."

Mana frowned. "But…your destiny is completed, Atem. You don't have any reason to remain amongst the living. Your story is over."

Atem grinned, his hands encircling the puzzle and giving the others a glimpse of an _absolutely pissed off_ Mutou Yuugi.

"…_you narcissistic, parasitic, selfish asshole! GIVE ME BACK MY DECK!"_

"My friends, my story has only just begun."

* * *

I hate myself. Someone stop me.


	2. Chapter 2

I have a rudimentary understanding of Egyptian burial rites and religious beliefs. If you find anything out of order, please let me know and I will correct it.

Also, the first Yu-Gi-Oh! Movie, with Anubis, never happened.

* * *

Mana frowned. "But…your destiny is completed, Atem. You don't have any reason to remain amongst the living. Your story is over."

Atem grinned, his hands encircling the puzzle and giving the others a glimpse of an _absolutely pissed off_ Mutou Yuugi.

"…_you narcissistic, parasitic, selfish asshole! GIVE ME BACK MY DECK!"_

"My friends, my story has only just begun," Atem laughed.

* * *

Yuugi pouted, glaring down the staircase to where Atem had left them. Now that the initial anger had worn off, Yuugi was left with a sense of mourning and confusion. On one hand, the young dueling champion was at a loss as to what to do and felt that it was unfair to bring Atem back from a peaceful rest.

_But he wants to stay with me…_ Yuugi frowned. _And as much of a pompous asshole as he is, I really want him back, too_.

Jou walked beside him, placing a hand on Yuugi's shoulder. "So, what now, buddy?"

Yuugi sighed, took a deep breath, and turned to Jou with a smile, "We bring him back, of course."

"You could just buy all those cards back instead of setting off some other catastrophe," Seto muttered, arms crossed.

"As if, rich-boy," Jou scoffed.

"Right!" Anzu cheered, "It's more than the deck! We want our friend back, too."

Honda nodded. "Exactly; he can't just come into our lives, change everything, and leave. We've got to bring that loser back!"

"And I think we've lectured you enough times about the heart of the cards for you to realize that my specific deck is special to me and I won't replace it," Yuugi smiled wryly at Seto, who rolled his eyes.

"Don't you dare start that up again," the brunet groaned. "And before I get another speech on friendship _über alles_—Kaiba Corp. will be supporting your endeavors, so long as you never sully my office with your presence, Mazaki."

Anzu smiled prettily. "I'll hold you to that, Kaiba kun. I have my next speech written already, so don't test me!"

Seto suppressed a shudder, though a knowing smile from Mokuba proved he wasn't entirely successful.

"That's all well and good," Marik interjected, "But now that the Pharaoh is back where he belongs, I don't think Isis, Rishid or I need to get involved anymore."

Isis bit her lip, glancing away. "Actually, little brother, I desire to become involved."

"Isis?" Marik asked warily. "Why?"

"I feel as though our lives were always intertwined with the Pharaoh's and that we will always owe him a huge debt. I don't think I can move on with my own life until that debt is repaid. If the Pharaoh's final wish had been to move onto the afterlife in peace, I could have walked away from here and never looked back," Isis sighed and looked at the sun.

"But that wasn't his final wish and I still owe him a life debt. Until he is reunited with Yuugi kun, I don't want to walk away. Once the Pharaoh is truly happy, I will feel the chains finally fall away.

"Our lives will always be entangled with the Pharaoh's," Isis repeated, her gaze so focused, it seemed she was looking through the sun to Ra, "May as well bring him back to life so we don't feel as though we're always involved with a dead man."

With a reluctant groan, Marik trudged over to Isis and put his arm around her slender shoulders.

"_Fiiiiiiine_," he griped, "But only because you're doing it, too."

Marik turned to Rishid, a resigned smirk on his face. "Coming?"

Rishid rolled his eyes. "As if I have a choice."

"Great!" Honda grinned. "So, what should we do first? A séance? Do we have to go corpse robbing or something, so he has something for his soul to come back to?"

Isis smiled indulgently. "No, Honda kun. Pharaoh's _ka_ and _ba_ must be reunited for him to have any hope of reviving. Once they become his _akh_, his _akh_ will either repossess his body or it will roam our world."

Jou glanced around. "Anyone else gettin' this?"

Sugoroku chuckled. "The ancient Egyptians believed that when a person died, especially a pharaoh, their essential being separated into their _ka_ and _ba._ The _ka_ is what we would consider their spirit, and it leaves the body at death. The _ba_ would be what we would consider their personality—their uniqueness, if you will—and it remains with the body. When the _ka_ and _ba_ unite, they become the _akh_; the closest idea we have to the _akh_ would be the ghost—the _ahk_ is able to come to the world of the living and, at the request of living members, can help. Conversely, if the funeral rites are done incorrectly, the _akh_ can also 'haunt' people. However, if the funeral rites and spells properly guide the_ akh_, the _akh_ can travel to the afterlife. The pharaoh's _akh_, specifically, went on to become a god.

What Isis is saying is that Atem kun's _ka_ has passed on, but we need to find his mummy in order for us to reunite his _ba_ with his _ka_. If we have any hope of restoring Atem kun, we will need to do the rites properly, or there is a risk of Atem kun's _akh_ dying again."

"Dying again?" Anzu frowned. "But, he's already dead. How can he die again?"

"Because our physical death is not the end of our lives," Isis explained patiently. "Death occurs when our heart, our _jb_, becomes tired. Thus, we begin a new life and, with the proper rites and spells, we may one day join Ra in the sky or our _akh_ may join the stars. However, the _ba_ frequently returns to the body at night—which is why the body is mummified and preserved so meticulously—and the Book of the Dead is needed to ensure a safe journey to and from the body. In order for a person to continue to exist in the afterlife, the body must be preserved, which is what the _ba_ constantly returns for. If, however, Pharaoh's _akh _succumbs to some danger, he will experience true death, and will be unable to return."

"Basically," Yuugi interjected, "think of mortal death as losing a life in a game. If you die after you've lost all your lives, it's game over."

Anzu shuddered. "That's terrible. But none of that is real, right? Atem can come back to his body whenever he wants, right?"

Sugoroku hummed, a hand stroking his beard. "We saw Atem kun's _ka_ go to the afterlife, and it will likely reunite properly with his _ba_, but his _ba_ will need to return to his body. He's been safe all these years because his soul was trapped in the millennium puzzle, and then trapped inside Yuugi. But now that he is properly in the afterlife, Atem kun's _ka_ and _ba_ will separate at night, so that his _ba_ can return and sustain his body."

"Which means, we have to work fast," Marik surmised. "I doubt Pharaoh's _akh_ will be in danger, because he was a beloved Pharaoh and I'm sure Priest Set did all he could to ensure only the best rites and magical spells were used to send off Pharaoh's _akh_. However, it's only a matter of time before his heart is weighed, and he's sent off to the stars as a divine being. Now that Pharaoh knows his true name, he won't be sent off to oblivion, so he'll soon be weighed against Ma'at by Anubis."

"I don't understand any of this!" Honda cried, grasping at his hair.

"It would take too much to explain all this to you," Rishid said, apologetically, "because your language does not have the same connotations that ours does. All you need to know is that we're on a tight schedule. Once the Pharaoh's soul passes Anubis' test, he will likely be sent to the stars as a god and, at that point, will be unrecoverable."

"It may take some time, though," Isis muttered, biting her thumbnail anxiously. "Although the Pharaoh knows his name now, there are no records of it anywhere in his tomb or in any other text, because of the Pharaoh's wishes to prevent Zorc's rebirth. Though he has spoken his name to the Eye of Wadjet, Anubis will scour what he can for proof. We have until then."

"How long is that?" Ryou asked quietly.

Isis, Rishid, and Marik glanced at each other.

"Well?" Seto demanded, tapping his foot quickly.

"We have no way of knowing," Rishid replied, bowing his head.

Yuugi's fists clenched tightly. Silently, Jou put a hand on Yuugi's shoulder; Honda followed suit and put a hand on Yuugi's other shoulder; finally, Anzu reached out and put a hand on Yuugi's back. Yuugi smiled, briefly remembering Duelist Kingdom, and gathered all the strength his friends were offering him.

"Then we'd better not waste time," Yuugi announced. "What do we do first?"

Isis smiled happily at Yuugi. _The Pharaoh will never be lonely again_, she decided.

"First," the former priestess said aloud, "we must ascertain that the Pharaoh's mummy is still preserved. His mask must be legible and his Book of the Dead must be on the walls of either his coffin or the walls of his pyramid. If his body is okay, then his _ba_ will have something to return to each evening. Second, someone must read his Book of the Dead and see if there are any spells that can help us. Meanwhile, one of us must go pray to the gods for guidance, specifically Osiris. Lastly, I hate to say it…but we may need the millennium items back."

"What?" Otogi exclaimed. "After all the trouble we just went through to seal them away?!"

"They won't have any powers anyway, right?" Mokuba raised a brow.

Anzu gripped at her shirt, above her heart. "And we can't make them. We can't have another Kul Elna."

"It is a potential waste of time," Isis admitted, "They may be powerless. But, the Pharaoh originally locked his soul inside the puzzle and sealed them away to prevent their use bringing back Zorc. Now that Zorc has been defeated for good by Horakhty, the millennium items may continue their use as they once were used before the Thief King possessed the Ring. It is a long shot, but the spells in the Book of the Dead and the Book of Going Forth by Day may not be enough. And it doesn't hurt to have the Pharaoh's second most treasured possession while we're trying to bring him back."

Yuugi blinked. "Second most? What's the first?"

Jou grinned, leering at Yuugi. "Ain't it obvious? You're the first!"

A deep red blush covered the shorter duelist's cheeks before realization struck. "Wha—! I'm not a _possession_!"

Marik rolled his eyes. "He's a pharaoh, Yuugi kun. _Everything_ he likes is a possession. Or would you prefer to be his _hmt nswt wrt_?"

"His what?"

Isis giggled. "His Great Royal Wife."

Yuugi's face lost all color before he pounced on a laughing Marik. As the smaller boy chased the blond around, the others gathered together to continue their planning. Eventually, Sugoroku grabbed Yuugi and Rishid grabbed Marik, effectively stopping their game.

"Yuugi, it's time to focus," Sugoroku reminded kindly.

With a sigh, Yuugi nodded. "I know. I'm just…scared. What if we fail? What if we mess up and doom Atem's soul to oblivion?"

Marik patted Yuugi's hair affectionately, "We won't, I promise. Isis, Rishid, and I are direct descendants of Tomb Keepers. We know what we're doing when it comes to funeral rites, even if they're ancient."

"And I somehow doubt that Atem's gonna give up so easily anyway," Jou snickered.

Emboldened, Yuugi nodded, grinning back at his friend. "You're right.

"If I recall correctly, Isis mentioned that there was a lot for us to do. I think we should split up and each do a different task. The quicker we do this, the better."

Nods and noises of assent filtered through the group.

"So, call it, Yuugi," Honda encouraged, lightly poking the smaller teen with his elbow. "You're the leader, yeah?"

Yuugi looked around at the expectant people facing him; it was odd to be the leader and not have that confident voice in the back of his head telling him what to do. But, regardless of how much Yuugi wanted Atem back, Atem was right—there was only one Mutou Yuugi in the world, and Yuugi was capable of everything Atem could do, including leading people. Yuugi didn't necessarily _need_ Atem the way he needed him before.

Before, Atem was a mentor and a protector for a less mature Yuugi; now, Atem was the other half, an _equal_ half, of Yuugi's soul.

"Isis san, you've always been much more in-tune with Egyptian spirituality than anyone else. Please, go to the temple next to Atem's pyramid and pray to Osiris; maybe you'll find answers. As I understand it, people can pray to the _akh_ to help them when they're in need. Maybe we can pray to Atem's _akh_, too, and get some more clues on how to bring him back. Rishid san, you should go with her.

"Jou—I need you, Honda kun, Mokuba kun, and Kaiba kun to go back to the hotel. Kaiba kun, I'm sorry to ask—" Yuugi graciously ignored Seto's 'I'm calling bullshit' expression, as well as Jou's apparent catatonic state—"but I need you to use your corporation's resources to get back down into that cavern and dig out the millennium items. Ryou kun, do you remember anything from when the Thief King possessed you recently?"

Ryou blanched, but the pale boy nodded. "I…I remember some things, Yuugi kun. Why do you ask?"

"I want you to go with Jou, Kaiba kun, Mokuba kun, and Honda kun. Maybe there was something in that sociopath's head that could help us, in case the millennium items don't work. Also, as a former holder of an item, you may be able to sense where they are. Can…can you do this for me?"

A stubborn expression crossed the usually mild boy's face as he smiled back at Yuugi. "Of course, Yuugi kun. Leave it to me."

"What about us, Yuugi?" Anzu asked, motioning to herself and the others the shorter duelist hadn't assigned anything to.

"Anzu chan, we are going back into Atem's tomb. Otogi kun, I'm asking you to come with us in case there's any money issues that need handling, but you won't go inside the actual tomb with us. You and Anzu chan will stay outside. Jii chan, Marik, and I will go inside. Jii chan and I know our way around well and we know how to get around the traps; Marik, even though jii chan and I can read ancient Egyptian, you have a much deeper understanding than we'll ever have, and you may help us find another clue."

Yuugi inhaled deeply—this was going to be the biggest adventure they'd ever had together with the biggest possible reward as an outcome; failure was not an option, as far as Yuugi was concerned. He looked around at the people who'd helped him along his journey with Atem, and he smiled confidently.

He was _sure_ they'd succeed.

"_Yuuuuuuuuuugi! _Why am I stuck with freakin' _Kaiba_?!" Jou finally hollered, apparently over his shock.

Well, pretty sure.

"Sorry, Jounouchi kun!" Yuugi laughed and ran towards a dune buggy, dragging Anzu along.

Seto sighed, ending a call on his cell phone. "Forget it, dog-boy. Let's just get this over with."

Jou glared at Seto, then looked to the heavens.

"Someone help me _not_ kill Kaiba."

Isis giggled as she and Rishid hopped onto the dune buggy. "I'll be sure to ask Pharaoh to bring you serenity."

* * *

"Wait, what is the meaning of this?" Shimon asked, watching the group of teenagers go their separate ways.

Atem dropped his hand, thus dissipating the portal. "I had thought that to pass on to the afterlife was what I craved. I was wrong. I want to remain with Yuugi. However, in order for Zorc's threat to disappear once and for all, I needed to die so that the former use of the millennium items will disappear as well. Now that I have passed, the items will seek their rightful owners, and Yuugi will hopefully have a chance at getting me out of here."

"You're leaving again?" Mana asked, eyes sad. "So soon?"

Atem embraced her gently, a small smile on his face. "I'm sorry. I sincerely thought I would be happy here. Even after all that time in Yuugi's head, I couldn't tell how he felt about me. Now that I know for sure that there's more than a chance that he loves me, I'm not going to go to the afterlife quietly."

Mahado sighed, but he placed a hand on Atem's shoulder and smiled kindly. "Then we will help."

Shimon frowned. "But it will be dangerous, my Pharaoh. Are you sure this Yuugi is worth the risk?"

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life," Atem stated, even as his arms tightened around Mana. She clutched at his cape in return. "Whatever it takes, I want to be with Yuugi."

"Then we should start working now," Set sighed. "Before his royal highness becomes a bigger pain than he already is."

"Anubis hasn't come for any of you," Atem muttered to himself quietly. "Why is that?"

"We pleaded for him to wait until we were all reunited," Mana replied, voice muffled in Atem's chest. "Now what do we do when he comes? He'll want to weigh us all."

"Anubis' returned will be stayed until he is certain he can find evidence of Atem's name," Set replied. "There is only one place in the entirety of Egypt that has Atem's name and likeness, and it will take Anubis some time. We have until then."

"What are your living friends doing?" Shada asked. "We should plan accordingly, so that we may aid them."

Atem nodded and pulled away from Mana; he tussled her hair affectionately before relaying to Shada what he could.

"So," Isis summarized, "My reincarnation will soon arrive to your temple to pray. I shall respond to her with you, so that we may help her."

Set hummed, one hand stroking his chin. "I believe I will take Shimon and Mahado with me, so that we can help my reincarnation and his boyfriend find the Millennium items somehow."

"May I go with you, Mahado?" Mana asked, jumping excitedly.

"Actually, Mana, I wish for you to go to Yuugi and his grandfather; make sure they make it safely through the traps of Atem's pyramid," the older magician replied.

"Do not concern yourself with those traps," Atem shook his head. "Isis and I will disable them once we arrive at the temple. I'll not have anything of mine threatening my _aibou_."

"As you wish," Set scoffed. "May we make haste? Kisara is still waiting for me. _I'd_ still like to go to the afterlife, after all."

Atem laughed. "Let's go. Yuugi is also waiting for me."

"Someone please help us," Shimon sighed, looking heavenward.

Isis giggled as she and Atem set off. "I'll be sure to ask the gods to bring you serenity."

* * *

There we go!


	3. Chapter 3

For the record, I'm using the Japanese names, voices, and personalities here. That means Kaiba is not the world's biggest asshole and that Akefia's voice (a name I know doesn't exist and that I'm using for convenience) is not the deep voice of the English dubs.

* * *

Jou glared at Seto, then looked to the heavens.

"Someone help me _not_ kill Kaiba."

Isis giggled as she and Rishid hopped onto the dune buggy. "I'll be sure to ask Pharaoh to bring you serenity."

…

"As you wish," Set scoffed. "May we make haste? Kisara is still waiting for me. _I'd_ still like to go to the afterlife, after all."

Atem laughed. "Let's go. Yuugi is also waiting for me."

"Someone please help us," Shimon sighed, looking heavenward.

Isis giggled as she and Atem set off. "I'll be sure to ask the gods to bring you serenity."

* * *

Rishid held up a hand, helping his adoptive sister down from the dune buggy. Yuugi, Sugoroku, Marik, Anzu, and Otogi stood around them patiently. Isis regarded the smaller duelist with a smile.

"From here, we will separate, yes?" she asked.

Yuugi nodded. "Jii chan and I will go inside the pyramid to make sure Atem's Book of the Dead and Book of Going Forth by Day are inside his tomb. We've got some tools with us in case we need to fix his mask. Marik will join us and help us decipher if anything is amiss."

Isis looked toward the temple. "And Rishid and I will go to Pharaoh's temple to pray to Osiris and to his _ankh_. I am also tempted to pray to Atum."

"Atem?" Anzu frowned, eyebrow raised. "I thought you were going to pray to him anyway."

Rishid shook his head. "Not Pharaoh Atem, but At_u_m, the god he is named after. Atum is the complete one; he brought about the beginning and will bring about the end."

"Why pray to him?" Otogi blinked. "Not much he can do, right? Assuming these gods exist."

"They do," Isis said with certainty, "And as the god of gods, Atum may be able to hold off Anubis a bit longer. I can't help feeling that we're running out of time."

"Then we should hurry," Yuugi decided. "Do what you think is best, Isis san. Anzu chan, Otogi kun, remember—do _not_ go in the tomb for _any_ reason. I have a cell phone—"

"That you stole from Kaiba kun," Anzu smirked.

"That Kaiba kun _lent_ me," Yuugi glared, "so all you have to do is call us. Let's get going, jii chan, Marik."

Nodding to each other, Anzu and Otogi stood guard outside the entrance of the pyramid, watching as the three duelists walked inside. Isis and Rishid jogged to the other side of the pyramid, where Atem's temple stood.

Sighing, Anzu brushed her hair away from her face. "I hope we can do this."

"We can," Otogi grinned. "If there's anything I've learned from hanging out with you guys, this adventure will be a breeze. I feel like the Thief King put us through way worse than this."

"But even with the Thief King, I don't think we've ever had such high stakes. I'm tempted to give up. I wouldn't want to be responsible for damning Atem's soul and keeping him from the afterlife because we failed."

Otogi lightly punched her shoulder. "Don't talk like that! If Yuugi kun isn't quitting, we shouldn't either."

Anzu smiled shakily. "You're right. If Yuugi isn't giving up, we should be there for him every step of the way."

Anzu sighed again, looking towards the entrance, silently sending her own prayer for someone to protect her friend.

With a cheeky smile, Mana floated by, intending on doing just that.

* * *

"I thought you said this place was full of traps," Marik asked with a skeptical brow raised. "This is easier than kidnapping Mokuba."

Yuugi rolled his eyes. "Well, it _was_ super difficult. I don't know why none of the traps have gone off yet. And I don't remember there being a solid floor to walk on while heading towards Atem's tomb."

"There definitely wasn't," Sugoroku agreed. "Something changed."

Yuugi stopped walked, turning around. "I think I feel something…"

"Don't do that," Marik groaned. "Don't feel things. Things usually aren't benevolent to us when we can't see them."

_I promise, I'm probably the nicest one of the lot, _a female voice giggled.

Yuugi's brow furrowed. "I think…I think I recognize that voice."

_You should! The things I've done for you and Atem!_

Sugoroku looked around. "She doesn't sound like a bad person…but where is she?"

Mana smiled as she manifested before them, translucent. _Right here. Though I can't stay visible for long. _

"Mana!" Yuugi cried happily. "What are you doing here?"

_Atem has all of us helping you,_ the magician replied. _Atem ordered for none of the traps in the pyramid to attack you, so I've disabled all of them. You're free to walk straight to his tomb._

"Atem did?" Yuugi asked, his face coloring.

_I believe his exact words were, "I'll not have anything of mine threatening my _aibou_."_ Mana frowned. _But he never arrived. He and Isis were supposed to do it, but only Isis is here. She and I disabled them. I can't find Atem anywhere. I think we should hurry to the tomb. Something may be wrong._

Yuugi's eyes widened. "The Book of the Dead."

Mana nodded grimly.

"Let's go, then!" Marik called, running ahead. Yuugi followed suit quickly, while Sugoroku followed as quickly as he could. Mana floated ahead of them, in case there were any surprise traps set by the game master that was her friend. Fortunately, nothing impeded their arrival into the tomb. Taking a quick look around, neither of them found anything wrong.

"What's going on?" Yuugi muttered. "Why isn't Atem here if everything is fine? The spells on his coffin are correct, right?"

Marik nodded, also bemused. "Is there anything we should know about his burial?"

Sugoroku soon arrived, panting a bit. His eyes traced the familiar tomb and locked on something. "Oh, no!"

Mana's eyes were wide and horror stricken, her gaze locked in the same spot as Sugoroku's. _It's gone_…

* * *

Jou, Seto, and Ryou stood back as the construction workers—who arrived at a disturbingly fast rate, Jou thought—dug a deep hole into the cavern they'd just vacated. At Seto's request, Honda had escorted Mokuba back to Japan via private jet.

Thankfully, it wasn't a Blue-Eyes White Dragon jet.

Jou glared under blond bangs at the silent brunet, who stared impassively at the frantically working men. Grudgingly, Jou had to admit that Seto definitely understood what it meant to be an older sibling, and Jou had to respect a guy like that. But it didn't make it any easier to like Seto, who still held a thin veneer of disdain for the rest of the world. Sharp blue eyes cut towards Jou's own chocolate brown ones, but Jou continued to glare; he'd be damned if he'd let Kaiba know Jou was scared of being caught staring. Eventually, Seto smirked and looked away, leaving Jou dumbfounded.

_What the actual hell_?

With a huff, Jou glanced at his other side, where his smaller friend Ryou was staring at the growing hole, pallid face frozen in an expression of haunted regret.

"Yo, Bakura," Jou nudged his elbow into the white-haired boy's ribs. "Don't sweat it so much. You did what you could and the past is the past."

Ryou gave him a grateful, but unhappy smile. "I…I realize, but I could have done more."

"It was fate, man," Jou shrugged. "It all needed to happen. I know that's not what you wanna hear, but without you being possessed by the Thief King, Atem might've been stuck in Yuugi forever."

"And we all know how detrimental that would be to their sex lives," Seto added dryly, shocking a laugh out of Jou and Ryou.

"I didn't know you had a sense of humor, money bags," Jou scoffed.

"It only comes out in polite company," Seto replied, looking pointedly at a laughing Ryou.

Jou pouted. "I'll have you know that I'm probably the most polite company you'll ever have."

"Delusions of grandeur are dangerous, Jounouchi."

"Why you—! You don't get to talk about _grandeur_ when your ego is larger than your company!"

"Larger than Japan, _thank you_."

Jou was set on continuing the argument, until loud laughter confused him enough to make him stop. Seto, too, seemed confused until they looked at a helplessly guffawing Ryou, who was practically rolling on the ground. Tears gathered in the corners of the white-haired boy's eyes as he held his stomach tightly, trying to stay the laughs that wouldn't quit. Evidently pleased, Seto's shoulders lost their tenseness; after watching Seto for a moment, Jou smiled and relaxed as well.

"Thank you," the shorter boy beamed. "Both of you."

"No problem, Ryou! You don't mind if I call you Ryou, do you?" Jou asked.

In return, Ryou grinned brightly. "Not at all."

Seto merely nodded, seemingly to himself.

"Boss!" another voice suddenly called, and the three duelists turned to see the foreman approaching. "We've gotten to the bottom of the cavern. The innermost part isn't blocked off. Did you want us to keep digging?"

Seto began to respond, but Ryou interrupted.

"No. We have to go in ourselves. Anymore damage to that cavern and it'll collapse in on itself. Besides, the items will reject anyone who doesn't have their best interest at heart. It's better not to risk the lives of any of your workers more than we already have."

The initial annoyance at being interrupted ebbed as Seto saw Ryou's reasoning was sound; besides, there was no point in fearing that Seto had lost his touch when the foreman looked so nervous.

"You heard him," Seto finally said. "You've done your job. Thank you. Please standby in case of an emergency, but we'll handle the rest from here."

The foreman bowed and ran off, making quick work of having the others move the large equipment. Within moments, the trucks had been cleared and the three high schoolers were walking into the cavern.

"Do you know where you're going?" Seto eventually asked, walking at the end of the single file line they formed.

"Shut up, Kaiba," Jou snorted, walking behind the slighter duelist, "Have some faith in Ryou, wouldja?"

"I can feel them," Ryou replied in lieu of a real answer. "I can hear the Ring calling to me."

"That's not creepy," Seto muttered.

"Considering how much we've dealt with up to this point," Jou rolled his eyes, "I seriously think a Ring calling to its host isn't quite that creepy."

"It is, though," Ryou mumbled. "I shouldn't hear a voice."

Jou and Seto stopped walking. Jou swallowed nervously. "What did you say, Ryou?"

"I shouldn't hear a voice," the white-haired boy repeated, looking over his shoulder at them. "I should only feel a pull, like Yuugi kun did when he received the Puzzle. But I hear a voice. I hear _his_ voice."

Paling, the taller boys knew _exactly_ whose voice Ryou was talking about.

"We need to leave," Seto decided, whipping out his cellphone. "I'll call Isis and tell her the items aren't worth it and that we abandoned them. We should just leave this cavern, cover the hole, and leave Kul Elna and never return."

"And leave him here?" Ryou frowned, turning completely to look at his companions. "Leave him to always have his soul tied to this place?"

"_What_ soul?" Jou retorted. "That guy is evil incarnate! He shouldn't even be alive! He shouldn't _have_ a soul anymore! I'm with Kaiba on this; we need to leave!"

_And then what will become of the Pharaoh?_

All three occupants' shoulders tensed as the disembodied voice sent shivers through all their spines.

"Holy shit," Jou cursed. "We need to go. Now."

The voice laughed, hollowly. _But I'm the only one who can help you_.

"Bakura, we're leaving," Seto demanded, grabbing the smaller boy's elbow. Ryou didn't seem to notice; his gaze was locked ahead of him, where the voice seemed to be coming from.

"How can you help us?" he asked instead.

_The Pharoah's Book of the Dead isn't in his tomb. _I_ stole it. And _I'm_ the only one who knows where it is._

Jou grimaced. "Shit. Didn't Isis say we needed that book?"

"Atem needs it in order for his _ka_ to travel safely. Without it…he could die," Ryou responded, eyes wide.

"I can't believe we're listening to him!" Seto snarled. "He's probably lying to get Bakura over to that damned Ring again!"

A sudden noise had the boys jumping, until they realized it was merely Seto's cell phone. Sighing, the brunet flipped it open.

"_What_?"

"_Seto!_" Yuugi cried, distressed enough to forget formalities. "_Where are you?_"

Seto frowned. "I'm in the cavern in Kul Elna. Listen, Yuugi, I don't think it's a good idea to get the items—"

"_Is Atem's Book of the Dead there?!_"

Seto's eyes widened. "What?"

"_We can't find Atem's Book of the Dead! Someone's stolen it! The Dark Magician Girl just came to us and told us that Atem was attempting to see Isis, but he never arrived! He's still traveling through worlds! What are we going to do?!_"

_What are you going to do, indeed, Priest?_ The voice laughed again.

Mouth setting in a grim line, Seto glanced at Jou then at Ryou. Decision made, he let go of the latter boy's elbow and nodded at him to keep walking.

"Hold tight, Yuugi," Seto replied, "I think I know someone who can find it for us."

"_What? Who?"_

"Akefia," Ryou mumbled.

"The Thief King."

* * *

"Jii chan?" Yuugi turned. "What's wrong?"

"Atem had more than one Book of the Dead. The spells here are for commoners—it was a tactic to confuse anyone who tried to rob him."

_And the _real_ Book of the Dead we placed in his tomb is missing,_ Mana frowned, eyes watery. _Atem is still traversing through the worlds. Without the Book…_

"Shit!" Yuugi cursed, fumbling for his phone. Immediately, he dialed the first person he could think of—Seto.

"_What?_" came the surly voice.

"Seto!" Yuugi practically sobbed. "Where are you?"

"_I'm in the cavern in Kul Elna. Listen, Yuugi, I don't think it's a good idea to get the items—_"

"Is Atem's Book of the Dead there?!"

There was a startled pause. "_What?_"

"We can't find Atem's Book of the Dead! Someone's stolen it! The Dark Magician Girl just came to us and told us that Atem was attempting to see Isis, but he never arrived! He's still traveling through worlds! What are we going to do?!" Yuugi hyperventilated.

There was another long pause, and Yuugi swore he heard odd laughing.

"_Hold tight, Yuugi,_" Seto finally said, "_I think I know someone who can find it for us._"

Yuugi's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "What? Who?_"_

"_Akefia,_" Yuugi heard a soft voice mutter. _Akefia?_ Yuugi thought. _Who could that be?_

"_The Thief King_," Seto answered, seemingly reading Yuugi's mind.

Yuugi startled away from his phone, staring at it in shock.

"Yuugi?" Marik asked. "What is it?"

"T-The Thief King. The Thief King has Atem's Book of the Dead! How are we supposed to find it now?"

"_Calm down, Yuugi,_" Seto's voice sounded over the phone. "_He's here—in the cavern. His soul isn't gone, apparently._"

"How can that be?" Sugoroku demanded. "We saw him die with Zorc!"

"_Looks like this guy is harder to get rid of than cockroaches,_" Seto growled. "_And he's here taunting us about the Book. We'll get him to talk. Just hang on, Yuugi._"

Yuugi nodded, aware Seto couldn't see. "O-Okay. Please, Seto, don't let him not tell you! Now more than ever, we _need_ that Book!"

"_I'll call you when I have more information. For now, see what the Dark Magician Girl can tell you._"

With a final sigh, Yuugi hung up the phone. Looking at the floating girl, Yuugi frowned. "What do we do now? Is there anyway to help him here while they're looking?"

Mana glanced away. _I…I think I can write the basic spells to get Atem on this side. At least, he'll be here and safe until we find a way to get the Book back. But I can't actually _write_ anything. _

Marik smirked. "I can. Tell me what to write, where to write, and we'll get Atem's _ankh_ here in no time."

Mana smiled hopefully. _O-Okay! _

"Are there others like you, Mana?" Sugoroku asked. "Helping the rest of us, I mean?"

Mana nodded, turning towards the old man while Marik hunted through his bag for the tools to write the basic spell. _My master, Shimon, and Set are going to help Set's reincarnation. Hopefully they'll provide assistance when dealing with Akefia. Priestess Isis will be helping her own reincarnation at the temple to give advice. Atem was supposed to be joining her. He wanted to be here to see Yuugi, but Atem has knowledge that only the new priestess can understand. I do not know where Shada has gone._

Marik gave a cry of triumph, so Mana turned her attention back to him and described what he need to draw. Yuugi and Sugoroku stood back and watched. Yuugi bit his lip, hoping this small part of the Book would be enough.

* * *

Isis sat on her knees at the altar and intended on praying for the next few hours; she didn't expect to see herself floating above the altar, but she refused to show her surprise.

"I can assume…" she began.

_That I am your ancestor, _the Priestess Isis finished with a smile. _I am here to help_.

"Are we to retrieve the Millennium Items?" Isis asked, cutting to the chase.

_Yes. Their former use is no more. All the holders of the items must come forth. In their use, we will restore the Pharaoh's body so that his _ankh_ may have something to return to._

Isis nodded. "We are currently retrieving them as we speak."

_I noticed. Pharaoh was supposed to have been here with me; there is something you must know that he intended to tell you. I do not know what it was. I believe he is still trapped between worlds. I believe the Thief King stole the Book of the Dead, so that Pharaoh would never be able to pass onto the afterlife._

"That could be troublesome," Isis muttered. "Need we act?"

The Priestess shook her head regally. _I predict Pharaoh will be here soon enough. Set will be helping his reincarnation._

"Then it is a matter of waiting."

_Yes_. _Do you have all the Millennium Item users with you?_

Isis bit her lip. "I do not. Pegasus J. Crawford is impossible to reach at this time. Is he necessary?"

_All the holders are necessary_, the Priestess frowned. _As I understand it, however, you do not need this Pegasus person. I believe you have everyone you need. When the time is right, they will all be here._

Isis smiled, trusting her other self. "I see. So, now we wait."

The other Isis sighed, nodding. _Now we wait._

* * *

Ryou frowned sadly as he looked upon the giant Millennium Stone, the resting place of the Millennium Items. All the items were in their designated place. Each thrummed with untold power.

And with the cries of 99 brutalized souls.

Ryou never liked the items. He didn't think the others could, but Ryou could always hear the voices of the people of Kul Elna; 99 screams of terror and of agony, as they were ripped apart—alive—in order to create the golden items before Ryou. Ryou never understood completely why he could hear the voices.

He never understood until he looked into the empty, pale lavender eyes of Akefia, the King of Thieves.

Jou and Seto flanked him, nervousness pouring off them in waves. Ryou smiled wryly; at least he wasn't going insane. It seemed the other two could also see the figure of the Thief King, translucent though it was, leaning casually against the Millennium Stone.

"Thief King Akefia," Seto growled. "Tell us where Atem's Book of the Dead is, now!"

_I don't think you're in any position to be making demands_, the King replied placidly.

Jou frowned, confused by the spirit's behavior. He was being oddly…docile. "How are you here?"

_Revenge is an ugly thing,_ Akefia replied, his eyes haunted. Ryou realized it was the same haunted look that plagued Ryou's mirror every morning. _With Zorc's influence gone and with the truth of Kul Elna being revealed, there wasn't much point to hang onto my grudge. My ka separated from Zorc's. I am my own being now._

"When did you steal the Book?" Seto asked.

_Long ago. I don't remember well; I _do_ remember where I've hidden it._

"Why're you being so…nice?" Jou blinked.

Akefia shrugged. _I won't get what I want if I don't help you._

"What do you want?" Ryou whispered, staring intently at the white-haired apparition.

_Redemption_.

Seto scoffed. "Like we're going to believe you."

_You should_, a voice similar to Seto's replied. _For possibly the first time in his life, he's being honest_.

The three corporeal boys turned around, facing the floating _ka_ of Priest Set, Shimon, and Mahado. Mahado smiled kindly at them.

_Pharaoh Atem decided you could use a little help_, the former magician explained.

"And you guys can tell when the thief over there is telling the truth?" Jou asked skeptically.

Shimon nodded, the Millennium Key hanging about his neck. _We've been here for a while, waiting for you. I decided to probe his mind while we waited. Akefia is…a scarred individual, but he is being honest in this one request._

"What _is_ that request?" Seto asked, eyes narrowed.

_To be human, finally._ Akefia sighed. _To actually live_.

"You…You want to _come back_? Like Atem?" Jou blinked disbelievingly.

The Thief King nodded.

"Absolutely not," Seto practically yelled. "We'd be stupid to trust him after all he's done!"

Jou looked conflicted. "But…we do need him to tell us where the Book is. I have a feelin' he's not gonna tell us where it is without us agreeing to help him."

"For the love of—Bakura! You know this guy better than anyone! Tell Katsuya it's a stupid idea!"

"I'm _Katsuya_ now?" Jou asked with a raised brow.

"_Now is not the time for that!_" Seto snarled, animalistic.

"We should help him," Ryou decided, sad eyes having never moved from Akefia's form. Seto and Jou snapped their attention back to the smaller duelist.

_Besides,_ Mahado reasoned, _Without promising to help Akefia, we won't get the Book._

_Even with the Key_, Shimon sighed, _I was unable to find the location of Pharaoh's Book of the Dead. The only one who knows where it is, is Akefia._

Akefia smirked weakly. _And all I want is your word that you will try to help me_.

"Just try?" Ryou asked, bemused at the Thief King's word choice.

_Just try. _The tanned man confirmed.

Jou tilted his head, staring intently at the formerly evil spirit. Jou was never as attuned to these things as Ryou and Isis seemed to be, but Jou didn't feel as creeped out as he usually was around Akefia. That aura of malevolence and indiscriminate violence that would always permeate the air was missing—Akefia looked almost…_empty_.

"W-We should at least call Yuug', and let him know. He should agree to this."

Akefia bowed gracefully, compliant.

With a scowl, Seto snatched his phone from his pocket and proceeded to call the King of Games. "I can't believe we're entertaining this," he muttered.

_Sometimes we're forced to do things we believe are foolish for the greater good,_ Set supplied. _Those are usually the better decisions we make._


	4. Chapter 4

Woo. Two chapters! Fair warning: I was half asleep when I finished these chapters, so if something is wrong, please let me know.

* * *

With a scowl, Seto snatched his phone from his pocket and proceeded to call the King of Games. "I can't believe we're entertaining this," he muttered.

_Sometimes we're forced to do things we believe are foolish for the greater good,_ Set supplied. _Those are usually the better decisions we make._

* * *

Yuugi paced as quietly as he could while Mana and Marik worked. Sugoroku had tried to calm the boy, but it was fruitless, and eventually the older man sat down and watched. It had been close to an hour since Yuugi had called Seto, and there had been no word from the young CEO as to their progress with Akefia. Meanwhile, Mana and Marik were still working, and Yuugi was beginning to doubt Mana remembered the spell as well as she claimed.

"Done!" Marik exclaimed, smiling.

"You are?" Yuugi asked, excited smile spreading across his face.

_Yes!_ Mana grinned. _Pharaoh should be here in no time!_

As if her words were the trigger, Yuugi's spine became rigid as he felt the pressure of a soul so powerful, it could only belong to one being.

"_Atem_."

Just as Yuugi turned to run out of the tomb, his cellphone rang, stopping him. With a sigh, the teen picked up the call.

"Seto?"

"_So, I'm Seto now?_" the other side replied.

"Ah! S-Sorry, Kaiba kun, I—"

"_Forget about it. I don't care about propriety at this point. I'm calling because we have a small problem and we want to make sure you're okay with it. For the record, I'm against it."_

"_Would you just shut up and tell him already, money bags!" _Yuugi heard Jou's disgruntled voice yell.

"_Fine! Listen, Yuugi…Akefia is willing to tell us where the Book is…"_

"That's great!" Yuugi smiled.

"_But he wants us to do something for him in return._"

Yuugi frowned. Of course, it was never easy for them. "What does he want?"

There was muttering on the other side of the phone for a bit, further confusing Yuugi. Finally, after what sounded like a small argument, Seto sighed.

"_I'm putting us on speaker phone. He wants to talk to you_."

Yuugi's eyes widened—only to widen more when the Thief King himself addressed Yuugi.

"_Mutou Yuugi?_" his deceptively light, collected voice asked.

Yuugi swallowed. He never quite got over how similar Ryou's and Akefia's voices were. For such a dangerous, insane man, it always seemed to Yuugi that Akefia's voice should be deeper than it was. Without all the madness and malice behind his words, Akefia's voice could actually be pleasant.

"Thief King?" he replied.

"_My name is Akefia._"

"I thought your name was Bakura, also," Yuugi muttered, aware that he was stalling.

It seemed Akefia was in a mood to indulge the younger duelist. "_It was the name I chose in the Millennium World. I did not want you to know my real name._"

"Why not?"

"_That person, 'Akefia,' had been dead for a long time. He'd been dead since Kul Elna. I didn't want to be that child anymore._"

"And now?"

"_And now Akefia wants to live. Do you wish to keep stalling, Mutou Yuugi?_"

Yuugi winced. "N-No. What did you want from us?"

"_I just told you. I want to live._"

Yuugi's eyes bulged in understanding. Akefia wanted to come back to life—like Atem. But would it be possible? Did Akefia also have a body waiting for his _ankh_? Where was his tomb? His Book of the Dead? Would they be able to bring back two people when they were struggling with one?

"_Don't fret so much_," Akefia snorted. "_I can hear the synapses in your brain firing from here. I don't ask that you do—only that you try. I promise to reveal where the Pharaoh's real Book is in return for your word._"

"You're going to take me at my word?" Yuugi asked skeptically.

"_Your word is better than mine,"_ the thief admitted, "_And what other choice do I have but to trust you?_"

Yuugi frowned sadly. Akefia sounded so…resigned; he resembled nothing of the cocky, dangerous man Yuugi had battled for so long. He sounded like he fully expected Yuugi to betray him. Mouth set in a determined line, Yuugi decided it was time _someone_ show Akefia kindness and understanding.

"Ryou kun, can you hear me?"

"_I can, Yuugi kun._"

"Are you okay with this? With Akefia coming back?"

There was a pregnant pause, and then, "_Yes. I want to help him_."

Yuugi smiled. He wasn't the only one who wanted to give Akefia another chance, it seemed. "Then I give you my word, Thief King Akefia, that I will do my best to bring you back with Atem."

A surprised silence followed—ignoring Seto's growling admonitions—but it seemed the thief had collected himself enough to respond finally.

"_I…Yes. Well. I…thank…Anyway, I should tell you where the Pharaoh's Book is. We've wasted enough time."_

Yuugi chuckled. He could wait for that "thank you."

* * *

Isis' eyes snapped open once the pressure in the room magnified by a hundred fold. Smiling, she looked up at the regal form Pharaoh Atem. He smirked back in reply.

_I apologize, Isis san_, Atem chuckled. _It seems I was a bit lost on the way. I assume my Book has been found?_

"Not that I know of, Pharaoh," she replied. "I believe Mana may have helped in this instance. I would not suggest attempting to return to the other world until your Book is properly secured."

Atem inclined his head. _A wise suggestion, and one I intend to follow, as always._

Priestess Isis scoffed. _As always? Where was this willingness to listen when I was advising you?_

Atem conveniently looked away, to the corporeal Isis' amusement.

"Much as I enjoy this, I would prefer this conversation with a living Pharaoh," she interrupted gently.

Atem nodded. _You're right. I'll get straight to it, then. You need the Millennium Spellbook in order to restore my body._

Isis gasped. "The Spellbook?! That accursed tome?"

_I'm afraid so,_ Atem's face was grim. _Using the Millennium items and the Spellbook, I believe I've found a way to bring my body back and to restore my ankh to my body without the use of a sacrifice, as would be usually needed._

Isis' brow furrowed. "But a sacrifice is always needed—the gods demand balance."

_And they shall have it. But it will be a sacrifice made long ago._ Atem replied.

The Priestess Isis and her reincarnation gasped simultaneously at Atem's implications.

"Orisis help us," Isis whispered.

A quiet chirping sound disturbed the heavy silence; Isis grimaced, taking the small cellphone out of her purse and flipping it open.

"Hello?"

"_Isis san!"_ Yuugi's voice was happy. "_I have so much to tell you._"

"Please, tell me everything," she replied.

With a sound of agreement, Yuugi proceeded to tell Isis about the lost tome; Akefia's reappearance; Mana's assistance; Akefia's help in finding the Book; and finally, Yuugi reported that the Book of the Dead—a thick scroll—was safely back in Atem's tomb. Jou, Seto, and Ryou had joined Yuugi and company in the tomb, where the _ka_ of Atem's friends waited patiently for further orders from their king.

"I see. So, they have brought with them the Millennium items?" she asked once Yuugi finished.

"_Yes. All seven of them are here with me. Akefia is here also, though obviously in ka form. I—is there a way to help him?"_

"Does he have a tomb?" she asked.

A small murmur, then Yuugi replied. "_Yes. It's not like Atem's—he doesn't have a ka statue, but he does have a Book of the Dead, a Book of Going Forth by Day, and a mummy to return to. It seems his statue was ruined._"

Atem's eyes narrowed. _Akefia? As in, the Thief King? He is with my _aibou_?_

"Peace, Pharaoh," Isis replied. "From what I'm understanding, Thief King Akefia is quite subdued."

_I believe I shall see this for myself._ The monarch replied, wisping away towards his tomb. Priestess Isis shrugged; the ghostly woman decided she would be of more use to her reincarnation than to her possessive king.

Isis rolled her eyes, returning to her conversation with Yuugi. "I believe with Mahado, Shimon, Set, and my past self helping, we can create a quick statue for him. Marik should have the tools with him."

Priestess Isis nodded. _It is possible and it shall be done._ The Priestess frowned. _However, being in this world is exhausting. As we have crossed worlds, our strength depletes more quickly._

"And Akefia?" Isis asked.

_I believe we have enough energy to guide you in the making of his ka statue; this way, his ka and ba may rest. After that, we will retreat and begin afresh tomorrow._

"I agree. After we've located Akefia's tomb and we recreate his _ka_ statue, I believe we should retire and continue in the morning. It is already evening, Yuugi kun."

"_Good idea,_" Yuugi yawned. "_I'll go meet Anzu chan and Otogi kun outside and let them know._"

Isis smiled, "I'll meet you soon so we can go to Akefia's tomb."

Priestess Isis smiled as well. _The strange things that happen when Pharaoh is involved…_

Her counterpart laughed. "I believe we owe this strangeness to Mutou Yuugi, this time."

* * *

Yuugi grinned as he shut his phone, then looked to his companions—specifically, the transparent, white-haired thief. "Isis and the Priestess are on their way. We'll head back over to Kul Elna, work on your _ka_ statue, and call it a day."

The stoic _ka_ nodded back, every line of his hazy body taut with tension.

"I can't believe we're seriously doing this," Marik groaned. "I can't _believe_ we're trusting this guy after everything he's put us through!"

A deep voice chuckled and all heads turned to the Pharaoh, who casually leaned against his coffin beside Akefia. _I can believe it_, the Pharaoh smirked. _It has Yuugi's name written all over it._

Yuugi smiled nervously as the two former enemies sized each other up. On the bright side, there was a noted lack of animosity; if anything, they merely seemed like two very dangerous, very territorial wildcats who were curious about each other. _But they're still very dangerous and very territorial,_ Yuugi thought to himself. Finally, after many tense minutes, Pharaoh and Thief nodded to each other, seemingly in good faith.

"Did we just get through this without either of those guys killin' each other?" Jou asked incredulously.

_I don't sense the evil that was once in your heart_, Atem crossed his arms.

_I recognize that neither you, nor your father, were responsible for the death of my people_. Akefia replied calmly. _I…should not have reacted the way I did._

Atem frowned, and Yuugi noticed Atem's hands forming ever-tightening fists as the Pharaoh grew more uncomfortable. _I understand that you were under the influence of the vengeful spirits of the people of Kul Elna. _

_I…am grateful for your understanding_, the Thief King replied through gritted teeth.

Atem's eye began to twitch. _I am g-glad that you have reformed._

Seto raised a brow. "I can just _feel_ the love. Don't get too affectionate, or I'll start to wonder who you're in love with."

Atem's face noticeably flushed and Akefia promptly moved away from the Pharaoh to stand beside his former host body.

"Is there any reason you two are still so hostile to each other?" Anzu asked, arms akimbo in displeasure.

_It is not in my nature to reveal so much,_ the Thief King muttered. _But it was, unfortunately, something that had to be said._

_And it is difficult for me to overcome years of anger and resentment._ Atem sighed. _But I see that Akefia is making a real effort and it would make _aibou_ happy._

"Basically, they're mad they had to set aside their superiority complexes so they could talk out their feelings," Jou snickered.

"Rarer things are known to occur," a soft female voice replied; the others turned to regard Isis and her counterpart as they made themselves known to the tomb. "What an odd gathering we make."

"Considering our line of work, these gatherings should be expected," Rishid muttered, deadpan, as he followed closely behind Isis.

"What took so long?" Seto asked rudely. Isis graciously ignored his temper.

"Before we left, we thought it prudent to pray to Atum and Osiris as well," the brunette replied. She turned to her counterpart.

_Atum has granted us a full week without interruption from Anubis,_ the Priestess continued. _I had a vision. If we do not complete our task in that week, Pharaoh Atem will be forced to join the gods following his judgment._

Atem frowned. _How do they know I will pass judgment for sure?_

Otogi rolled his eyes. "You sort of gave up your life to save the world—_twice_."

"Now, do you mean a full business week, or…?" Seto trailed off. When the others stared at him curiously, he scowled back. "Better to know than to be caught off guard, thinking we have more time than we really do."

_It is a valid point. _Priestess Isis conceded. _We have a full Egyptian week. That means we have ten days_.

"Good!" Yuugi cheered. "We can totally do this in ten days! We've already got everything we need, right?"

_Not quite, _aibou_. Now that we have the items, we need the Millennium Spellbook and the new and old holders of the Millennium items._ Atem replied.

"Wait, what?" Yuugi's good mood immediately deteriorated. "But, we don't have contact with Pegasus. And Shadi is gone! What are we going to do?"

_Don't fret, Master Mutou,_ Mahado smiled confidently. _The items recognize when their former holders are no longer of this world or are no longer worthy. There are new holders of the Millennium items and they will become clear in time. When the items feel that the holder truly needs the item, the item will beckon them._

"But we only have ten days! And we also have to find the Spellbook!" Yuugi cried.

"Yuugi!" Anzu smiled, patting his shoulders. "Calm down! You have all of us! And we know at least three of the holders right now!"

Breathing deeply, Yuugi smiled shakily at his oldest friend. "Y-You're right."

"And, as we've done today, we can go our separate ways and rejoin once we've obtained the other items we are missing," Rishid supplied. "Priestess Isis, have you had any more visions that may aid us in our endeavors?"

The Priestess' eyes began to glow, a Millennium necklace appearing around her slender neck; in response, the solid Millennium necklace laid out on the floor began to glow as well.

_The Puzzle belongs to the one true King; the Eye sees she who is blind; the Ring craves kindness; the Scale knows only those who suffer; the Key offers itself to those who grow wise; the Rod demands ancient knowledge; the Necklace desires one who can see; the Spellbook must be wielded by the heir; the Feather by someone loyal. _

The glow faded and the Priestess collapsed to the floor, her incorporeal body fading.

_I believe I have used all I have for that vision. I should return to my ka statues before I exhaust myself completely. Mahado, may I trust Akefia's ka statues to you?_

Mahado nodded and, with a smile, the Priestess disappeared.

"Where did she go?" Anzu gasped.

"Back to her _ka_ statue," Yuugi replied. It's where the _ka_ goes to rest so it doesn't have to wander around forever. Speaking of, let's go to Kul Elna. It's already almost midnight."

"Before we do," Marik said, looking at the floor where the Millennium items were laid, "we should probably sort out what we do know about who owns what."

Isis smiled and retrieved her Necklace. "I am the one who can see."

"I am the one with ancient knowledge," Marik declared, taking the Rod with a grimace.

Yuugi blinked, unaware if stating who they were was part of a ritual, but unwilling to break the cycle. With a small gulp, the teen walked over to the items and picked the Millennium Puzzle. Just as it did long ago, it felt comforting in his hands. Slipping the chain easily over his head, Yuugi smiled straight at the Pharaoh.

"I am the one true King."

Yuugi glanced over at a pale Ryou and nodded at him; the white-haired boy took a deep breath and nodded back. Slowly, Ryou collected the Millennium Ring and put it on his neck, as well. "I can offer kindness."

Ryou smiled towards Akefia and, though it was probably a figment of his imagination, Ryou imagined that the stony look in Akefia's eyes softened just slightly.

"Now we just need to figure out who gets the Eye, the Scale, the Key, the Spellbook, and the Feather," Jou grinned, then titled his head in bemusement. "Wait…Feather?"

Isis nodded, cradling her long-beloved Necklace. "The Feather of Ma'at. It is used in the judging of souls and is usually used in conjunction with the Scale. The Spellbook and Feather are not exactly Millennium items."

"Then what are they and why do we need them?" Seto's brow furrowed.

_The Spellbook created the Millennium items,_ Shimon spoke quietly. _The Scale does not work if you have nothing to judge someone's heart against—thus, the Feather_.

"That's one tough test," Jou muttered.

"And it's been one long night," Yuugi groaned. "Let's go back to Kul Elna already."

_I agree_, Akefia sighed. _It has been years since I've had something to go back to._

Mana smiled, elbowing the Thief King gently while magnanimously ignoring his scowl. _Then let's hurry with that ka statue and get some rest! I feel like we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow._

* * *

"But Honda!" Mokuba cried as Honda shoved him into Shizuka's house. "I wanna be with Seto!"

"Trust me, Mokuba," Honda groused. "You'll be doing Kaiba a huge favor by staying out of the fray, for once. He needs to concentrate and he won't be able to, knowing that you're in danger. Just this once, listen to us. Shizuka chan will take good care of you."

Shizuka smiled in response. "We can cheer them on from here, Mokuba kun. I miss my big brother also, and I really want to help, but I know I can do more here."

Mokuba pouted but acquiesced.

"Thank you, Shizuka chan." Honda grinned, "I know what Kaiba said, but I think Mokuba will be fine with you. I think the gang needs me back there, and there's no way I'm waiting this one out."

Shizuka tilted her head. "How did you guys get here so fast, anyway? You said your flight was only six hours. That's half the normal time."

Honda rolled his eyes. "You would not _believe_ the money Kaiba puts into his jets. Either way, I better hurry back. I need to find a ride and hope I can con Kaiba's cronies into flying me back."

Shizuka nodded. "Go. And take care of onii chan for me."

Honda smiled, patting her shoulder, then ran off in the direction of Kaiba Corp. The unseasonable rain wasn't making things easier, Honda sneered to himself. Finally, at the last crosswalk before Kaiba Corp, the unmistakable squeal of wheels—of a car slamming on its breaks—shocked Honda into following instinct and dodging to the side.

Groaning, Honda picked himself up. Quick to glare at the purple convertible that nearly killed him, Honda opened his mouth to give the driver the most hateful speech he could imagine.

And then the window rolled down.

"_Kujaku Mai_?"

Mai, in reply, winked. "You look like you could use a lift."

Honda sighed in relief and jumped in. "It's good to see you, Kujaku san. How are you?"

Mai shrugged. "Looking for something to do. Why were you running through the streets like a maniac?"

As concisely as possible, Honda did his best to explain the situation to Mai. For a few moments, Mai sat in her seat, dumbfounded. Even as the light changed to green and drivers began beeping at her to move, Mai kept staring forward. After a long, awkward silence, Mai finally sighed.

"And I suppose you're on your way back?"

Honda nodded.

Mai gave him a small, determined smile. "Take me with you."


End file.
